The new memorial, on Victoria Embankment, is the first of its kind in the UK.
The Duke of Kent has formally unveiled a memorial that names the 13,501 people from Nottinghamshire who died in the first world war, writes Local Democracy Reporter.
The memorial, on Victoria Embankment, is the first of its kind in the UK. Seven years of research went into finding the names of every person from the county who lost their lives during the conflict.
Among the names engraved on the new memorial are winners of Victoria Crosses, those who died in the Chilwell factory disaster, people killed in the Nottingham Zeppelin raid, and those shot at dawn by their own army.
The new memorial was paid for by dozens of contributions from Nottinghamshire residents and businesses, as well as the local councils.
Among those commemorated on the memorial is Thomas Baxter, a father-of 13 who was killed when the national shell-filling factory in Chilwell exploded in 1918.
Around eight tonnes of TNT exploded at the factory, killing 134 people, only 32 of whom could be identified. Their remains are buried in a mass grave.
Mr Baxter’s wife also worked at the factory, and was meant to be working on the shift of the explosion, but had swapped shifts with her husband.
His great-great-grandaughter, Nicola Wood, 47, a professional historian from Nottingham, was there to witness the duke cutting the ribbon at the ceremony.
Nicola Wood said: “It is a very tasteful and fitting memorial, and I do think it’s lovely that they have brought everyone together, not just the ones killed abroad, but also on the home front.
“Especially those shot at dawn. We understand now why that happened, and the extraordinary pressures they were under, so I think it’s very fitting they should be remembered.”
Among those present to see the unveiling was the great-cousin of Sapper William Hackett, a Nottinghamshire miner who won the VC for his extraordinary bravery in saving the lives of fellow miners at the Somme in 1916.
They had been tunneling into enemy territory to lay mines when the Germans discovered their plan and started shelling where their tunnel was, bringing the mine down around them.
After digging themselves out for 20 hours and eventually reaching the surface, the sapper helped three men out and could have followed them, but refused to leave a man who had been seriously injured, saying: “I am a tunneller, I look after the others first.”
The escape tunnel collapsed, and despite others trying to reach him, Sapper William Hackett is still buried there to this day.
Former Labour councillor Brian Grocock worked for several years to bring the memorial together. His son, Jamie Grocock, has served two tours of Afghanistan in the Mercian Regiment, and his grandfather, Clement Grocock, who served in the Leicestershire Regiment, is named on the memorial.
When he was a Nottingham city councillor, Brian Grocock was its Armed Forces Champion.
He said: “I am so pleased to see it come to fruition. It was always a bit of a vision, and I think we all thought ‘will it ever actually happen?’
“We weren’t sure about the financial aspect as well, that was quite difficult, but in the end there were so many contributions. A lot of people got involved.”
Another person watching the memorial opening was Vanda Day, whose great uncle was legendary fighter pilot Albert Ball VC.
At the time of his death, at Annoeullin, near Lille in 1917, he was the UK’s leading flying ace, with 44 victories against the enemy.
Vanda said: “It’s very fitting that everybody who was killed in the Great War is here together, and all their stories with them.
“Nobody has been left out, whatever they did, because everybody played a role, so I think it’s really important that everybody is on here.”
Kay Cutts, leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, was delighted with how it looked.
The council was heavily involved in the planning and research for the memorial, and she said: “I think it’s beautiful. It’s exactly right.
“It has an air of quietness and reflection, and I think there’s no better way to honour the dead than to record every single name.
“I think every family in Nottinghamshire was touched by the Great War, even as civilians.”
Nottingham City Council leader David Mellen said: “It is splendid. It’s got a modern feel, but clearly remembering what finished 101 years ago.
“The Victoria Embankment Memorial is fantastic, but it hasn’t got everyone’s names on, so this is very personal.
“The design is really interesting, The fact we have got wild flowers around the outside is also a really lovely touch.”
